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The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising…
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The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising Sequence) (original 1973; edition 1999)

by Susan Cooper

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
8,4182271,008 (4.1)2 / 725
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
Member:MagdaAju
Title:The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising Sequence)
Authors:Susan Cooper
Info:Margaret K. McElderry Books (1999), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 232 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:***
Tags:None

Work Information

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973)

  1. 81
    The Owl Service by Alan Garner (klarusu)
    klarusu: Similar atmosphere - dark Welsh mythology and a teenage protagonist in The Owl Service
  2. 50
    So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane (MyriadBooks)
  3. 30
    The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman (LKAYC)
  4. 20
    A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond (Sakerfalcon)
    Sakerfalcon: Both books vividly depict the merging of past and present, and have a strong sense of place and of local folklore.
  5. 31
    The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien (ncgraham)
  6. 20
    The Box of Delights by John Masefield (souloftherose)
    souloftherose: Although The Box of Delights was written in 1935 and The Dark is Rising was written in the 1970s, both books have a similar sense of magic, mystery and menace running through them. Both are part of series but can be read without having read the earlier books in the series.… (more)
  7. 20
    Sabriel by Garth Nix (electronicmemory)
    electronicmemory: Both books have beautifully written prose, elegantly sketched worlds, and stories that stay with you long after you've finished. Two young protagonists must face overwhelming dark forces as they struggle with isolation from their peers and allies.… (more)
  8. 10
    The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key (infiniteletters)
  9. 10
    A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Anjali.Negi)
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    The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff (infiniteletters)
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    Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle (questionablepotato)
  12. 00
    Advent: A Novel by James Treadwell (LongDogMom)
    LongDogMom: Similar style of writing and atmosphere.
  13. 00
    The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit (casvelyn)
  14. 00
    Dark Rise by C. S. Pacat (TillyWiz)
    TillyWiz: A 21st century reimagining - Cooper's moral absolutism and obeisance to traditional authority figures is out; subversion of traditional fantasy tropes, shades-of-grey, and diverse representation are in.
  15. 34
    Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Nikkles)
  16. 12
    Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay (Yarrow)
1970s (25)
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» See also 725 mentions

English (220)  Spanish (2)  Portuguese (Portugal) (1)  Dutch (1)  German (1)  French (1)  All languages (226)
Showing 1-5 of 220 (next | show all)
Opening on Midwinter Eve, this immensely powerful and intensely engaging children's fantasy, the second in Susan Cooper's five-volume Dark Is Rising Sequence, is a book I read again and again as a girl. Will Stanton, who turns eleven on Midwinter Day, coming into his own as one of the Old Ones—servants of the Light, in eternal conflict with the forces of the Dark, which are intent on ruling the world—learns more about his role as the Sign Seeker as he travels through time, visiting England in different centuries. The book follows him on his quest to assemble the six signs, which together form one of the Things of Power that the Light will use to eventually defeat the Dark for all time. It is a journey that is intertwined with his large and loving family's celebration of the holiday season, from Midwinter through Christmas, and on to Twelfth Night, and one that will eventually draw in figures and traditions from local folklore, including Herne the Hunter and the Wild Hunt...

Published in 1973, a number of years after the first book in the series, Over Sea, Under Stone, which came out in 1965, The Dark Is Rising switches focus a bit, changing protagonist and setting. Whereas that earlier title concerned the three Drew siblings, and their quest to find King Arthur's chalice, hidden on the headland of a small Cornish village, this entry focuses on Will, the youngest of a large Buckinghamshire family, and expands the overarching narrative considerably, exploring the larger and deeper cosmological struggle only hinted at in the earlier book. The Drew children do not appear here, and are not mentioned, although the chalice they found is referenced, as the first of the Things of Power being assembled in the Light's struggle against the Dark. The bridge between the two is really the character of Merriman, the oldest and one of the wisest of the Old Ones, who guides Will through his education and quest.

Beautifully written and wonderfully conceived, it is not difficult to see why this book won a Newbery Honor in 1974. From the time I first read it, I have loved it, and this latest reread, undertaken as part of a project to read the entire series with friends, has not changed my feelings an iota. I still love the use of folklore and mythology throughout, in both overt and discreet ways (so many of the names have a deeper meaning!), I love the settings, and quest itself. I love the poem, which I memorized and would recite with a friend and fellow admirer of the series, when young. I both love and am haunted by the story of Hawkin, whose fate is one I have always struggled with, from childhood to adulthood, worrying away at the questions of choice, justice, and morality. This is truly a marvelous book, and is one I wholeheartedly recommend to all fantasy readers. I finished this reread with a keen desire to proceed on to the next in the series, Greenwitch. ( )
  AbigailAdams26 | Mar 2, 2024 |
I remember this book being epic. I got so excited while listening to the audio book that i borrowed the print version from my brother. Except, it's an exciting book when being performed by an older british man, less exciting when read in print. I also kept feeling like i was missing something, like, if i had majored in mythology i would understand why the Great Hunt had to save the day. I think the first half, focused as it is on Will's family was interesting, but when he just goes through the motions of his destiny, i was bored. ( )
  mslibrarynerd | Jan 13, 2024 |
This was amazing! I love how Will's character is developed throughout the book, and I enjoyed the folklore elements of the story. It might be a little too challenging for tweens, but I think it's perfect for any who enjoy older (it was published in the 70s but reads more like Narnia) YA/middle grades fantasy. ( )
  Dances_with_Words | Jan 6, 2024 |
I think that if I were more knowledgeable about the mythology that Cooper is drawing upon for the world she has created, I would have enjoyed this more. I'm familiar with the Greeks, but only just barely acquainted with the more well-known characters from other traditions. I didn't find the characters to be particularly well drawn or compelling and the conflicts had little real tension. Will seemed to only passively move from one miniquest to the next, and nobody ever seemed to be in any actual danger. The Dark simply had no teeth. But there is a love of language that leavens the dullness of plot and characterization. The world created is beautifully described; it only needed a good story to go with it.I still plan to read the entire series, though. The frustration I felt at the age of eleven with a book I couldn't understand is still with me. I'm determined to read it again in context and finally put those questions to rest. ( )
  Doodlebug34 | Jan 1, 2024 |
Did my semi-traditional winter read, for the umpteenth time.
  thisisstephenbetts | Nov 25, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 220 (next | show all)

» Add other authors (4 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Cooper, Susanprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Cober, Alan E.Illustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dillon, JulieCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Edwards, LesCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Jennings, AlexNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pekkanen, PanuTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rikman, KristiinaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Westrup, Jadwiga P.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Dedication
For Jonathan
First words
"Too many!" James shouted, and slammed the door behind him.
Quotations
When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone.

Iron for the birthday, bronze carried long;
Wood from the burning, stone out of song;
Fire in the candle-ring, water from the thaw;
Six Signs the circle, and the grail gone before.

Fire on the mountain shall find the harp of gold
Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old;
Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea;
All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
This LT work, The Dark Is Rising, is Book 2 (of 5 Books) in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising Sequence. Please distinguish it from other single titles in the series, and from any combination(s) of part or all of the series. Thank you.
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On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

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Book description
Haiku summary
Midwinter terror,
Seventh son of seventh son
Is a young Old One.
(SylviaC)

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